The subject of today's feature is a player who scored lots of goals and played a key role in the club during the late 1980s.

Colin Tate appeared for Hendon in seven consecutive seasons, but the reality is that his Greens' career was in two parts and six seasons. He was a much-respected striker when signed by Gary Hand early in the 1985-86 season and made his debut against Epsom & Ewell on 31 August 1985, scoring twice at West Street as Hendon blew a 3-1 lead and lost 5-3. It was a very difficult season for the Greens and it was not until Ted Hardy arrived as manager just before Christmas that things began to turn around.

Colin's goals were a key factor in Hendon's late run, in which the Greens won six and drew five of the last 11 games to avoid the drop in the final game of the season - the famous 4-1 victory at Slough Town. Colin won the Supporters Assocation Player of the Year award, playing in every League match after joining the Club and finishing the season with 21 goals in 51 appearances. Two of these came when Hendon beat Southall 2-0 after extra time in the Middlesex Senior Cup final at Enfield.

In the almost interminable season which followed - Hendon played 75 matches in total - Colin suffered a few injuries and, as a result, was able to only match his 51 starts - he also came off the bench twice from the previous season. He did, however, improve his goal tally by a couple, the last of which was on 25 April 1987. This goal, against Croydon in a 3-1 win at Claremont Road, was followed by a full 90 minutes, 24 hours later, as Hendon drew 1-1 away to Burton Albion. Earlier in April, he had scored twice in one of the most remarkable Hendon victories, coming from 3-0 down at half-time against Harrow Borough in the Middlesex Senior Cup quarter-final to win 5-3 after extra time. He got the ball rolling with the first goal 22 seconds after the resumption. All Hendon had to show for their efforts were runners-up medals in the GMAC (Premier Inter-League) and the AC Delco (Isthmian League) Cups.

Before the start of the following season, Colin left the club, but he still made one appearance - right at the end - on 2 June 1988, when Hendon met Wembley in the Russell Grant Middlesex Charity Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Some fans felt that the players who had performed all season deserved the glory of a Wembley appearance, but manager Micky Janes went with the player most likely to win the Cup. As it happened, there were two match-winners already in the squad and both Dermot Drummy and Iain Dowie scored in the Greens' 2-0 victory.

Colin's second spell lasted from, effectively 1988 to 1992, as the club went through very difficult financial times. In 1988-89, injuries played a key part in a campaign that fell apart in December. He played in the Greens' 4–2 FA Cup first round defeat at Reading, but didn't get on the scoresheet, and his strike rate for the season dropped from 1 in 2.5 in his first spell to worse than 1 in 6 in 1989 - but he had not been relied upon as the main goal-getter. Things did get better in 1989-90, when he played the most matches of his Hendon career, with only Dave Root and Greg Zacharia passing his total of 55. Colin was much more of a second striker now, and Uche Egbe and Sean Baker - whose season ended prematurely - both got more than his 13.

Not the tallest of players, nor the most imposing, Colin's game was built around his intelligence – unsurprising for a lawyer – and ability to create openings. He was always a willing runner, though without a breathtaking turn of pace to get him clear of defenders. Nonetheless, he needed constant attention, which gave others around him the chance to shine. His final season with the Greens was in 1991-92 and when the new owner Victor Green started signing high-profile players such as strikers Kurt Davidson and Colin Sowerby, there was nowhere for Colin to play. The final one of Colin's 86 Hendon goals came against Marlow in a 2-1 home defeat and, on 17 March 1992, 32-year-old Colin played his final game for Hendon. At least he went out on a winning note, a 1-0 defeat of Enfield.

Joined Hendon: August 1985, June 1988. Left Hendon: Summer 1987, March 1992.
Appearances: 284 (259 starts, 25 as substitute). Goals: 83
Supporters Association Player of the Year: 1985-86
Medals won: Middlesex Senior Cup: 1985-86; Middlesex Charity Cup 1987-88